[SDCBC] The Poway Grade

[Brian Parent]

Yeah, I get those close passes too sometimes, but it seems
to happen much less frequently when I take the center, or
even left of center position in that outside lane.
The added benefit of that further left position is that
in the event of a close pass, there's extra space for
me to manuever if need be.

I agree, motorists and cyclists alike need to understand
that full use of the lane by cyclists is safe, legal,
appropriate, recommended by DMV, etc. in many situations.
I'd like to see a marketing/ad campaing akin to the anti-smoking
campaign of the '90s.

Re:
> Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2008 22:09:18 -0700
> To: Sdcbc <sdcbc at bikesandiego.org>
> From: Tom Lettington <tlettington at san.rr.com>
> Subject: [SDCBC] The Poway Grade
> 
> This hot Sunday morning I decided (as the leader of our regular 
> Sunday morning ride) to bring our small group to Poway.  Recognizing 
> that the slow ride up the Poway grade on Poway Road is a bummer with 
> no bike lane on a very narrow section of pavement, I brought our 
> small group up the long slow grind on Community Road from Poway to 
> Scripps Poway Parkway, up to SR 67 (*MUCH* longer and grinderier), 
> north a bit on SR67, then down the Poway Grade on Poway Road.
> 
> This route decision was made to allow us to descend at speed on the 
> Poway grade as to not impede traffic.
> 
> Due to "construction" in the area, the speed limit down the Poway 
> grade (at least most of the way) is now 35mph instead of it's normal 
> 50mph.  I "let her rip" and against a small head wind I "took the 
> lane" and flew down the Poway grade at 33mph.  To my amazement, an 
> automobile behind me found the 2mph differential between the speed 
> limit and his/her heat-thumping "need-for speed" to be totally 
> unbearable.  A I took one of the two "slow traffic turn-outs" between 
> SR67 and Espola Road to let traffic behind me proceed at their own 
> pace, the tailgating perusers actually burned rubber to get around me.
> 
> As we neared the end of our ride westbound on Rancho Bernard Road, an 
> area where on-street parking (mostly an informal used car lot) makes 
> riding in the bike lane a door hazard nightmare, I again took the 
> lane again and was nearly wiped out by a young soccer Mom in her 
> Mini-Van as she veered left just enough to pass me with 8 inches to spare.
> 
> Oh my, we have to do something to educate motorists that cyclists 
> have a right to use the roads in safety.  I believe that I have 
> sensed an appreciable increase in the number of cyclists on the road 
> recently. I also have noticed that a number of them are totally 
> clueless as to how to behave responsibly as users of the roadways.
> 
> SDCBC  --  I believe we have an educational challenge of 
> unprecedented magnitude before us.  Are we up to the challenge?
> 
>           - Tom
> 
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